Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Guest Ramble

From Joan. Who's having a spot of bother with Windows...

    The joys of using Windows

    I've been using Unix (Linux, mostly) for close to 20 years.
    Right now, however, my only access to the internet is a
    "surfstick", and while this device can be used on a Linux
    box, you *have* to use the provider's software in order to
    use a monthly flatrate -- otherwise it's hideously expensive,
    about 1 Euro per hour. Said (sad?) software is, of course, *not*
    available for Unix...

    So I bit the bullet and bought an inexpensive notebook with
    Windows 7. Yay, 25 Euros for one month unlimited access!

    Then this morning, Firefox informed me about a recommended update.
    Certainly, why not? No way, I was not logged in as an administrator
    (I almost never am, for security reasons). Not a problem, log on
    as "root", install update, forget about it?

    Not so fast... As admin, I couldn't use the stick, because that
    stupid piece of software, started as the other user, does not really
    shut down when told to, and so "device is being used by another
    application" popped up. Geez, I had to shut the bloody system down,
    just to update Firefox! And then do it again, so I could use the
    stick in my normal mode!!! And perhaps I should consider myself
    lucky that Windows at least let me shut it down, instead of insisting
    that I stop an unstoppable process? BAH!

    Do I see anybody out there shrugging their shoulders? Is this supposed
    to be 'normal'? Yes, I did have to shut Unix down because of software
    errors... three times (IIRC) in 20 years! I've already topped that with
    my new and shiny Windows system within the last four weeks.

    I cannot believe that I paid for that crap!

    Joan


Welcome to the Wonderful World of Windows, Joan.

Ze

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